In Daniel Sweren-Becker’s The Ones, genetically engineering humans has become a reality. The “Ones” are 1 percent of the population chosen through a lottery system, before birth, for genetic engineering to be perfect in looks and health, among other things. And not everyone is okay with that. Through the point of view of Cody and her boyfriend James, who are Ones now in their teens, we witness the increasing unrest between the Ones and the “Equality Movement,” a group that doesn’t exactly agree with the advantages that the Ones have over the rest of humanity. When a Supreme Court decision passes ruling that genetically engineering humans is in fact illegal, the Ones receive even more hateful attention. A list that reveals the names of every One, a mysterious group called “The Weathermen,” and a school take-over gone wrong leads to a terrible discovery and a plan that could do more harm than good.
Cody and James’ struggle with crossing difficult lines, what’s right and wrong and ultimately the truth will test their relationships with each other, their families and even with the rest of the world. Themes like human equality, activism and scientific curiosity are largely present throughout the book. These parallels to society today make the characters and story easy to relate to.
This quick and exciting read will leave you wanting more, so keep an eye out for the next book in The Ones series. Those of you who enjoy teen novels with dystopian society or science fiction themes, will easily find that you can’t put The Ones down.
